﻿Administration helpless against encroachment mafia

KARACHI: Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Anti-Encroachment Department seems to be helpless against politically backed encroachment mafia in Saddar area as it could not yet clear the area from encroachments despite back-to-back operations on the pressure of Sindh High Court’s orders.

Sources from the anti-encroachment department said efforts were being made to remove all the encroachments from the Saddar area, however it could not yet become possible due to the interference of political workers and the department could not still clear encroachments even from its initial point, Preedy Street. The court’s hearing is scheduled to be held on 14th January 2015.

“KMC had no other option than to continue operations. On Friday, another operation was carried out on Preedy Street, around Empress Market and Parking Plaza in support of two police mobile vans and around 20 staffers under the supervision of Director Anti-Encroachments Mazhar Khan and Assistant Director Anti-Encroachments Saddar Noman Ahmed,” the sources told PPI.

The sources said many pushcarts, cabins, shops, sugarcane juice machines and other encroachments were removed or demolished in the area. Consequently, many encroachers hurled stones towards the anti-encroachment staff and raised slogans against them. However, the area was cleared for easy flow of vehicular traffic and pedestrian citizens.